Charitable organisation focused on environmental conservation in Leicestershire and Rutland, UK
This article is about the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. For other counties, see The Wildlife Trusts.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) is one of 46 wildlife trusts across the United Kingdom. It manages nature reserves in Leicestershire and Rutland, and was founded in 1956 as the Leicestershire and Rutland Trust for Nature Conservation. As of January 2018, it has over 16,000 members,[a] a staff of about 25 and more than 500 volunteers. It is based in Leicester, and is managed by a Council of Trustees which is elected by the members.[2] It is a charity which covers all aspects of nature conservation, and works to protect wild places and wildlife.[3]
This site has outcrops of Precambrian volcanic rocks, which have uncommon lichens growing on them. The main habitat is heath grassland, and there are the remains of drystone walls and an old mill.[15]
These ancient woods are dominated by pedunculate oak, with sparse ground flora. There is a considerable amount of dead wood, which attracts a variety of birds, including all three native species of woodpecker.[18]
This is the largest area of moorland in the East Midlands, and it is mainly covered by bracken on dry hills, while wet heath is dominated by purple moor-grass. The site is geologically important for the 'bomb' rocks, volcanic blocks dating the Ediacaran period around 600 million years ago.[19][24]
Dimminsdale has semi-natural woodland and one of the largest areas of unimproved acidic grassland in the county. Earl Ferrers' lead mine, which is located on the site, has a unique and complex mixture of minerals such as galena and zinc blende.[39]
Former quarries on this site have soil which is low in nutrients and lime-rich, creating conditions for many species of wildflower to flourish. Old mine tunnels are used by Natterer's, Daubenton's, brown long-eared and pipistrelle bats.[43]
The conversion of this former sewage disposal site to a nature reserve was completed in 2002. The River Sence has been diverted to create meanders, extending flooded areas and reedbeds; 101 bird, 19 butterfly and 16 dragonfly species have been recorded.[44]
This site is in two separate areas. Launde Big Wood is ancient semi-natural woodland with a rich ground flora, including wood anemone, wood forget-me-not and sweet woodruff. Most of Launde Park Wood has been planted with conifers, but the northern third has the same range of plants as the Big Wood.[47]
Over 240 species of plants have been recorded on these unimproved marshy meadows, and there is a stream which has white-clawed crayfish and brook lampreys, both of which are legally protected. Part of the site is surrounded by a medieval moat.[49]
This site on the bank of the River Soar was farmland until 2006, but is now managed for wildlife. Areas of wet woodland have been created by a combination of planting and natural regeneration. Other parts of the site are now wet grassland and wet scrapes.[59]
This site has a large area of common reed on peat, and there is also wet woodland, dominated by crack willow. Both areas have diverse butterflies and moths, including several locally uncommon species. In the south of the site there are two wet grazed meadows and more woodland.[62][60]
This wood is on poorly drained soils derived from JurassicUpper Lias clay and glacial boulder clay. The dominant trees are ash and oak, with field maple and hazel in the shrub layer. There is a diverse ground flora typical of ancient clay woods.[65]
This site has four-man-made lagoons, with islands which provide a safe area for nesting birds. There are also wildflower meadows with species rich hedgerows, mature woods and plantations dating to the 1970s.[67]
This is the best site in the East Midlands which exposes the sequence of rocks in the Lower Jurassic around 180 million years ago. There are many fossils, including Tiltoniceras acutum, an age-diagnostic ammonite.[78] The site has rich flora and diverse common birds.[75]
This site has grassland, woodland, a stretch of disused canal, a marsh and ponds.[82] The clay grassland has a rich flora, dominated by common bent, Yorkshire fog, false oat-grass and cock's foot. A poorly drained area has plants such as water avens, and there are drier soils in the west of the site.[84]
^"Nature Reserves". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
^"Rutland Water citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original(PDF) on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Bloody Oaks Quarry". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Altar Stones". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Bloody Oaks Quarry citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
^ ab"Charley Woods". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Charnwood Lodge". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Charnwood Lodge citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
^"Cloud Wood". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Cribb's Lodge Meadows citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
^ ab"Croft Pasture". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Croft Pasture citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
^"Dimminsdale". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Dimminsdale citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
^ ab"Great Merrible Wood". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Eye Brook Valley Woods citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
^ ab"Holwell Reserves". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Kelham Bridge". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Ketton Quarry". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Greetham Meadowscitation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
^ ab"Mountsorrel Meadows". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Narborough Bog". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Narborough Bog citation". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
^"Prior's Coppice". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Prior's Coppice citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
^ abc"Rocky Plantation". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Rutland Water". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Rutland Water citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original(PDF) on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Stonesby Quarry citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
^ ab"Tilton Railway Cutting". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Tilton Cutting citation"(PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived(PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
^ abc"Ulverscroft". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Wanlip Meadows". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Wymeswold Meadows". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^ ab"Wymondham Rough". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
^"Wymondham Rough citation". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.